9A+-+Guest+Experts+&+Other+Invited+Guests

Here is some information about our Invited Visitors, our Guest Experts, and their fields of Irish expertise! Once the Guest Experts join the Wiki, you may e-mail them via the Wiki to ask them questions and advice about your research.

= __GUEST EXPERTS - FAILTE!__ =

**Diane & Niall Funge** - natives of Dublin City, Ireland - NIALL HAS JOINED THE WIKI, SO ASK AWAY!!! Their family used to own and run ELO Press, a publishing company that specialized in Irish rebel and historical books. They live in Blackrock, Co. Dublin, with their three sons Cian (pronounced key-inn), Eoghan (Irish spelling of Owen), and Ossian (pronounced oh-sheen) as well as their dog, Cooper Dubh, a black lab. While they love their home life, they also make frequent trips all over Continental Europe. Di & Niall are two of the funniest and nicest people I know, and they are brilliant with Hiberno-English slang and Irish Gaelic expressions, so ask away with any questions once they are on!

**Charis Hughes** - native of Dublin City, Ireland Charis did her undergraduate degree in history (?) at Trinity College Dublin and her master's degree in Anglo-Irish Literature & Drama at University College Dublin. Since then, she literally has traveled all over the world in her position with IASTE Ireland (an exchange program for Engineering, Science, IT, and Architecture students to gain work experience abroad in their field of study when they are juniors or seniors at university). Earlier this year, Charis moved into a fabulous apartment in City Centre of Dublin.

**Ruth McNamara** - native of Limerick City, Ireland - RUTH HAS JOINED THE WIKI, SO ASK AWAY!!! Ruth did her undergraduate degree in History and English at University College Dublin and her master's degree in Anglo-Irish Literature & Drama at University College Dublin. After graduation, she moved to Prague, Czech Republic, where she taught English for a time and immersed herself in the literary scene. She later taught history and literature in the Irish Studies Department of Charles University in the Czech capital. She now is traveling in South America, writing, doing photography, being a bohemian intellectual, and living La Dolce Vita. I suspect either a doctorate or a published book - or both - will be in her future!

**Orla O'Dea** **Allard** - native of Dublin City, Ireland Orla also did her undergraduate degree in English at University College Dublin and her master's degree in Anglo-Irish Literature & Drama at University College Dublin. After graduation, she, too, moved to Prague, Czech Republic, where she also taught English. She is now living in Mullingar, Ireland, with her husband Paul and baby son Shea. Orla plays guitar and has a lovely singing voice. She currently teaches music and history in a school system in the Irish midlands. Her mother is from the North, and her parents moved out of Belfast to escape the Troubles.

**Dr. Edward Brash** - Chair of the Physics, Computer Science, & Engineering Department at Christopher Newport University - EDWARD HAS JOINED THE WIKI, SO ASK AWAY!!!

Dr. Brash knows MANY traditional Irish songs about Irish patriots! He performs them at Irish pubs and functions with his band (Glasgow Kiss), has recorded a CD (__Patriot Games__) of songs about Irish patriots, and has also won medals at //feisanna// (Irish culture competitions) in Irish Gaelic singing. He has also visited many important Irish rebellion sites on a family trip in July 2008, including Dublin City, Wexford Town, and Connaught Province. He would be more than happy to answer any musical questions you have about songs about Irish patriots. He might have good suggestions for some of you to meet your song requirement. Edward is also a student of Gaelic, so if you have any basic Irish translations you would like his help with for this project, feel free to send him an e-mail via the wiki!

**Rebecca Gurley** - Director of the Global Studies & World Languages Academy (GSWLA) at Tallwood High School & at the Office of Academy Programs, VBCPS - MRS. GURLEY HAS JOINED THE WIKI, SO ASK AWAY!!!

Mrs. Gurley visited and photographed many important Irish rebellion sites in May 2009 (Kilmainham Gaol, the Liberties, the GPO, etc.) on the dual enrollment TCC/GSWLA HUM 299 trip to Ireland.

=** __SPECIAL GUESTS - FAILTE!__ **=

**Dr. Kelly** **Hedrick -** Director of the Office of Gifted Education & the Office of Academy Programs, Department of Curriculum & Instruction, VBCPS

**Robin Hoffman -** Secondary English Coordinator, Office of Secondary Instructional Services, Department of Curriculum & Instruction, VBCPS

**Fran Sharer -** Instructional Specialist of Secondary English, Office of Secondary Instructional Services, Department of Curriculum & Instruction, VBCPS

**Dr. Nancy Farrell** - Principal of Tallwood High School

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Alex Bergren** - Assistant Principal of Tallwood High School, English Department AP <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">MR. BERGREN HAS JOINED THE WIKI!!!

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Patrick Wroton** - Assistant Principal of Tallwood High School, Senior Class AP

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Carolyn Dusenbury**, **NBCT** - English Department Chair of Tallwood High School MRS. DUSENBURY HAS JOINED THE WIKI!!!

MRS. MOTLEY HAS JOINED THE WIKI!!!
 * Susan Motley** - Department Chair of the Global Studies & World Languages Academy (GSWLA) at Tallwood High School